Thank you for taking the time to visit my just giving page, created in aid of grassroots suicide prevention. i aim to raise money by shaving my head and beard.  

Raising awareness for mental health, in specific men’s mental health, is something I have been invested in for a long time. Men are roughly three times more likely to take their own lives than women and it is the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK. 

We live in a society that ascribes individuals a socially constructed gender role from birth, based on what is considered appropriate and desirable based on your perceived sex. These pre-determined gender roles reflect and reinforce how men and women should look, act and speak. We are taught that certain expressions of emotions should be attributed with ‘weakness’ and therefore are inherently emasculate.

Whether intentional or unintentional the way we prescribe gender stereotypes upon people can lead to dangerous ways of thinking, resulting in men feeling isolated, helpless and hopeless. I hope by doing this I can highlight these issues and encourage you to reach out to the men in your life. 

For a while now I have been thinking of shaving my beard and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to raise money for an important cause. I have had a beard for so long now it has formed an integral part of my identity for many people (“oh josh, the one with the beard”). I plan to shave my head and beard on June the 1^st, shortly after mental health awareness week. I have booked in with my good friend Richard, from Mavericks hair salon in Angmering village to do the honours. 

Thank you in advance for any money you are able to donate, but more importantly I hope I’ve helped highlight the importance of raising awareness for men’s mental health.